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Contractor Rushed To Hospital After Santa Monica Electrical Explosion

Posted Jun. 11, 2014, 9:15 am

Brenton Garen / Editor-in-Chief

An explosion and fire at Belmar Apartments at 1725 Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica at 11:48 am on Tuesday led to a contractor being rushed to hospital with critical burns to more than 40 percent of his body.

Santa Monica Fire Department Deputy Chief of Operations Tom Clemo said within three minutes of dispatch, first arriving companies found two contractors with burns due an electrical explosion in a basement area of the occupancy.

“One male patient was taken to UCLA Westwood with critical burns over 40 percent of his body, while the second male patient was taken to Santa Monica Hospital with moderate burns,” Clemo said. “While providing treatment to the injured workers, firefighters also conducted a search of the affected area, ventilated the structure and denied entry until the arrival of Southern California Edison crews.”

Clemo said the cause of the explosion and injuries are under investigation by members of SCE as well as California OSHA.

Belmar Apartments is an affordable community that's currently under construction as part of The Village in Santa Monica, just south of Tongva Park.